CFTC to Host Cryptocurrency CEO Forum to Discuss Digital Asset Market Pilot Program

**Deutsche Bundesbank Chief Backs Euro Stablecoins, CBDCs to Boost Europe’s Payment Independence** Deutsche Bundesbank President Joachim Nagel said a euro-pegged stablecoin would help Europe gain more independence from soon-to-be-approved USD-linked stablecoins under the U.S. GENIUS Act. Nagel also supports launching a euro retail central bank digital currency (CBDC) and euro-denominated payment stablecoins. Speaking at the American Chamber of Commerce’s New Year’s reception in Frankfurt on Monday, he noted EU officials are “working hard” to roll out a retail CBDC. Euro stablecoins, he added, will make Europe “more independent in terms of payment systems and solutions.” He highlighted two key benefits: Wholesale CBDCs will let financial institutions use central bank money for programmable payments, while euro stablecoins enable individuals and businesses to make low-cost cross-border payments. Nagel’s comments come months after U.S. President Trump signed a bill to regulate

On February 17th, fast-food chain **Steak 'n Shake** (note: corrected from "Stake 'n Shake") announced that its decision to accept Bitcoin payments nine months ago has driven a "significant" rise in same-store sales. In a statement posted to Platform X on Monday, the company noted that Bitcoin payment proceeds go directly into its strategic Bitcoin reserve—funds later used to distribute employee bonuses. Earlier this year, Steak 'n Shake disclosed it had added $10 million worth of Bitcoin to its corporate treasury reserve, creating a "self-reinforcing" cycle: customers pay with BTC, sales climb, and crypto revenue flows back into the reserve. The chain has accepted Bitcoin via the Lightning Network since May 2023. Initially, same-store sales saw a 10% jump. Chief Operating Officer Dan Edwards revealed the company saves roughly 50% on processing fees when customers pay with cryptocurrency. In October 2023, the fast-food chain launched a Bitcoin-themed burger and pledged to d

February 17th: Per Onchain Lens monitoring data, a whale has once again spent 43 BTC (roughly $2.91 million) to acquire 1,468 ETH. To date, this address has spent a total of 129 BTC (≈$8.72 million) to purchase 4,412 ETH at an average price of $1,976, and has transferred all these ETH to a new wallet.

On February 17, cryptocurrency market analyst Axel took to social media to note that the current bear market cycle kicked off from the October 2025 all-time high (ATH) of roughly $125,000. The Entity-Adjusted Liveliness metric has confirmed this, hitting a cycle peak of 0.02676 in December 2025 (a typical lag behind price movements) and now trending downward. Historically, this downward reversal typically signals the start of an accumulation phase spanning 1.1 to 2.5 years. The accompanying chart highlights the prior two accumulation cycles: the 2020 bear market lasted 1.1 years, while the 2022–2024 cycle stretched to 2.5 years. Both kicked off identically: the green line peaked, then entered a sustained decline, followed by a price drop. The current setup is structurally identical. If history holds, the current cycle’s accumulation phase will extend at least through late 2026—with mid-2027 being a more realistic timeline. A key confirmation signal will be when the 90-day moving

February 17 The U.S. dollar edged higher for a second straight trading day, fully shrugging off market pricing that had factored in roughly three Federal Reserve rate cuts this year. Options markets signal a easing of recent bearish dollar sentiment: the front-end risk reversal index has dropped to its lowest negative level in nearly a month. Currency markets now price in ~64 basis points of Fed rate cuts by year-end. Some strategists warn this outlook is overdone—three cuts may stretch beyond data-supported reasonable ranges, creating upside risk for the greenback. “Fed rate cut expectations look somewhat overdone, leaving room for a short-term dollar bounce,” said Elias Haddad, Global Head of Market Strategy at Brown Brothers Harriman. He noted growth momentum remains solid and inflation has stayed consistently above the Fed’s 2% target. (Source: FXStreet)

February 17th – Andrew MacKenzie, CEO of GBP stablecoin issuer Agant, said the UK’s crypto regulatory framework is on the right track—but progress is moving too slowly to support the country’s ambition of becoming a global digital asset hub. The UK government has repeatedly pledged to make London a global hub for crypto and digital asset activity. However, legislation covering stablecoins and broader crypto activities isn’t expected to get parliamentary approval until later this year, with formal implementation likely not happening until 2027. MacKenzie noted this timeline conflicts with the government’s goal of keeping the industry globally competitive. Speaking at the Consensus Hong Kong conference, he stated: “The most frustrating thing right now is how long it’s taken us to get where we are. People just want clarity… If I have one expectation of regulators, it’s to speed up how we do things.” Agant recently joined a small group of crypto firms registered with the UK’s Fina